The Devil You Know
by AriRashkae
Summary: Gohan is coming of age and attracting the attention of a power hungry succubus. Unfortunately for everyone, his late uncle is less than impressed with this turn of events. Mild swearing, suggestive situations. :Currently caring for Grandmother. Not dead!:
1. Tournament

AN: Finally dragged myself back to this. Just re-uploading the earlier chapters to fix the format errors and tweak a few things. If you see any errors, just let me know.

* * *

"Gohan! Hey, Gohan!"

Gohan stopped and turned. His face lit up as he saw Videl running towards him. "Hey, guys, I'll catch up, OK?"

Goku stopped and smiled at him. "Sure Gohan. Just make sure you don't miss the qualifying round. It'd be a shame for you to train so hard and miss getting in."

Gohan blushed a little. "Don't worry, Dad. I wouldn't miss this for anything." He waved to the rest of the group as they turned a corner towards the qualifiers.

Gohan grinned as Videl caught up with him. "What's up?"

She winked. "I've got something to show you. Come on!" Videl grabbed one of his arms and hauled him into the air.

"Whoa, Videl! A little warning, please!" Gohan laughed. He caught hold of himself and floated next to her. "So what do you want to show me?"

She put one finger against her lips and winked again. "Follow me!" she whispered, and zipped off.

"Hey, hold up!" Gohan tore off after her, hard pressed to follow her abrupt twists and tight curves... He shook his head and laughed. _What am I thinking? I'm gonna turn into Master Roshi if I'm not careful. _He pulled even with Videl so he wouldn't be tempted to watch the show she was unwittingly putting on for him. _Must be the Saiyan in me. The more I see her fight and train, the more I like her._

They landed on the far side of the grounds and just started wandering. For the next hour, they dodged fans of the Great Saiyaman, Sharpner, fans of Videl, Sharpner, fans of Hercule who tried to get in good with his daughter, and Sharpner.

They smothered their laughter as Sharpner ran past the bush they were crouched behind. Videl looked over at Gohan with an evil grin. "Maybe we should just tell him the truth."

"What?!?" Gohan cried. Quickly, he clamped a hand over his mouth before they were discovered.

"Yeah. You're from some other planet -" Gohan paled "- and you get this funky high on yellow sun," she sang. He stared at her for a terrified moment. Then his brain kicked in and he realized she was just teasing him. He let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Don't do that to me, Videl," he said. "You almost gave me a heart attack." He placed a hand over his chest for emphasis. _If only she knew... . She'd flip!_

"Aw, did I scare you?" She placed her hand over his and grinned up at him. Gohan felt his face growing hot. "Ummmm …"

Videl laughed and grabbed his wrist. "Come on. I've been teasing you enough." Tugging lightly, she led him through a nearby door. "In here."

Gohan's jaw dropped as he looked around the small suite. "Is this all ... yours?" He turned in a slow circle, taking in the fine decorations, the overstuffed couch, the private kitchen. It was palatial compared to the locker rooms for the other competitors.

"Being Hercule's daughter does have a few perks, you know."

He turned back around and his brain went numb. Videl dropped her shirt on the floor. "Uhhhhhh …' He swallowed hard. "What are you..." Smiling, she reached behind her to unhook her bra.

"What does it look like, Gohan?"

"Videl!" She smiled again, but Gohan couldn't say anything else. The bra joined the shirt.

He tried to move, to speak, but it was if she'd found the OFF switch to his brain and taped it down. "Videl..." He tried to tear his eyes away, but he couldn't even blink.

"Yes?" She slithered out of the rest of her clothes. His mouth went dry as she stood naked before him. He knew he should say something, but he couldn't focus on the words long enough. His common sense was screaming for him to get the hell out of there before they did something they shouldn't. His body, however, was determined to stay right where it was.

Videl slowly glided over to him. "Videl ..." he tried again, pleading, but now he didn't know what he was pleading for. The she kissed him, and he stopped thinking, period.


	2. Awake

Gohan's eyes flew open as he bit down on his lower lip. For a few wild moments, he lay completely still, listening to the pounding of his racing heart, his breath ragged.  
  
_It was a dream,_ he told himself, wiping the sweat from his face. _An extremely ... vivid dream, but still a dream._ He forced himself to sit up and swung his legs over the bed. _Thank heaven Goten is spending the night with Trunks. Gotta clean this up quick._  
  
A few minutes stealthy work left his bed clean, but Gohan couldn't bring himself to go back to sleep yet. Quietly, he crept out of the house and ran for the lake. The night chill felt wonderful on his feverish skin as he wove through the trees. He knew his mom couldn't sense his ki if he flew, but it would be just his luck.   
  
_Either that, or Goten will wake up and wonder what I'm doing. More likely, he and Trunks snuck out of bed to keep training and they'll both show up. Or Vegeta let them stay up anyway. He wouldn't care if they drove themselves to unconsciousness. Hell, he'd probably give them pointers on how to do it right._ Gohan shook his head as he neatly folded his clothes on the shore. He waded out into the water, took a deep breath and dove to the bottom of the lake.  
  
On a whim, he grabbed a few small pebbles from the bottom, just to prove he was really awake. Then, he flipped over and let himself float slowly upwards. The waxing moon rippled, shattered, and melted together above him.  
  
_Maybe it is the Saiyan in me,_ he mused as he broke the surface. He laid back and drifted in the calm. _Being a normal teenager is tough enough. Too bad there's no one to ask about growing up Saiyan. Dad's not here, and he was raised in the middle of nowhere anyway. Bulma says he didn't know what a girl even was until he met her. Mom says he didn't have a clue what marriage was either. The only other person to ask would be Vegeta, and ... well... Vegeta would probably put me through a wall if I even tried._  
  
Gohan grinned at the thought of asking Vegeta about Saiyan puberty. _That_ was one way to get to see his father again. But he'd rather wait for the tournament, even if it was only one day. He let his mind drift as idly as his body, until he felt relaxed enough to catch a few more hours sleep. He did raise just enough ki to dry off so he could dress, and crept back home. Right before he fell asleep, he wondered, _How am I going to face Videl? _


	3. Trials

Gohan's eyes snapped open as his whole body tensed. He clenched his jaw and counted, slowly, until he calmed down. Goten snored peacefully beside him, blissfully unaware of his brother's torment. Gohan silently dressed, slipped outside, and sat down under a tree.  
  
_OK, at least I don't have to make the bed at midnight anymore. And Videl doesn't think I'm any weirder than usual. But this is getting ridiculous._ He yawned behind his hand. _I'm not getting any sleep this way. This is the fourth night so far.   
  
Well, there's nothing to do but try to get back to sleep. I shouldn't have any problems for the rest of the night. It hasn't happened twice in a row yet._  
  
He stood up, brushed himself off, and started to walk back to the house. Looking up, he saw the moon peeking through the clouds. Tomorrow night, it would be full. Suddenly, Gohan didn't give a damn about staying hidden or going to sleep. Effortlessly, he rose into the air and sped straight up.  
  
He broke through the cloud cover and pushed himself higher, not stopping until he felt his lungs burn for air. He let go and enjoyed the free fall for a few moments. Pulling his knees to his chest, he tumbled like a child until he decided to stop, then hung upside down, laughing.  
  
Gohan watched the clouds roll under him, obscuring his view of the Earth. His shadow stood out against the sparkling puffs and he pulled himself upright. Looking up at the moon, shining in her glory, he felt himself starting to understand why Saiyans went berserk under her light. Even without his tail, he could feel his blood singing, and the thought of holding still appalled him.  
  
"Good evening, my lady," he said lightly as he bowed. "Would you care to dance?" He laughed and spun, throwing a kick at his moonshadow. The kick was followed by a rapid series of punches and soon he was sparring his shadow in earnest.   
  
He found it was harder than he first thought, as he had to refrain from using enough force to completely blow away the clouds. He followed the fluffy canvas as the wind reshaped it, not willing to lose his "partner" just yet.  
  
A small glowing ball punched through the clouds and Gohan dodged, the fiery sphere barely missing his ear. He looked down and saw Vegeta floating below him, his eyes alight with the same fire in the boy's veins.  
  
"You think you're the only one who feels it, Boy?" he growled softly. Suddenly, he disappeared, and Gohan barely had time to think before he felt the vicious blow to his back.  
  
Gohan reeled in mid-air, trying to regain his balance. He tensed as he spun, waiting for the next attack. To his surprise, Vegeta simply stood there watching him.   
  
"I asked you a question, Boy." He crossed his arms and waited.  
  
_What's his angle?_ Gohan wondered. _He's not even really powered up, so he can't be that serious about fighting. Then again, when is Vegeta not serious about a fight?_ One of Vegeta's fingers started to tap, and Gohan realized he really was waiting for an answer.  
  
"Since I'm not the only one with Saiyan blood, I'd be surprised if I was the only one to feel it. But why aren't the kids here?" he asked.  
  
Vegeta smirked a little. "The wore themselves out ... playing tag."   
  
Gohan's eyes narrowed. "And how much of the landscape did this 'game' destroy?" Vegeta's smirk just deepened. "Uhhuh.  
  
"To answer your question, though, they do not feel it as strongly as you or I. They never changed.  
  
Gohan puzzled over that statement before he realized that Vegeta wasn't talking about the Super Saiyan change. He shuddered slightly.   
  
"So, what? You want to spar me? Now?  
  
"Spar, fight, whatever." Vegeta shrugged. "I believe I heard you refer to it as a dance.  
  
"Somehow the thought of asking you to dance doesn't sit well," Gohan muttered. He colored when he saw Vegeta's eyes flare in amusement. _Why do I keep forgetting his hearing is that good?_  
  
Without warning, Vegeta attacked. Gohan was able to block most of the damage this time, but the force still sent him reeling. He pulled himself together in time to see Vegeta silhouetted before the moon. It was the last thing he remembered. 


	4. Family

Gohan crawled into bed, grateful he could still move at all. Even his hair hurt. He moaned softly as a star exploded somewhere in his skull.  
  
Goten stirred. "G'han?" he mumbled sleepily, barely opening one eye.  
  
"I'm alright, sport," his brother whispered. "Go back to sleep.  
  
The little Saiyan smiled and burrowed back into his pillow. 'K.  
  
Gohan felt he had barely closed his eyes before he heard his mother pounding on the door.   
  
_Bang. Bang. Bang._ "Gohan! Wake up! You're going to miss breakfast!" The sound of her footsteps faded as she strode down the hall to finish making breakfast.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and tried to block out the sunlight. _Please don't let her notice anything,_ he prayed. He rolled out of bed and dressed gingerly. Bruised and battered muscles protested loudly at being forced to move, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. There wasn't anything he could do to cover the bruises and scrapes on his face, but at least they were relatively minor.  
  
It took Chi-Chi a full five seconds to notice that her eldest son was injured. Most of those five seconds consisted of scrambling eggs and pouring them into the pan, her back to the door.   
  
"Gohan! What happened to you?"   
  
Gohan winced as he eased himself into a seat, trying desperately to think of an answer. _Keep it simple,_ he thought.  
  
"I couldn't sleep, Mom, so I went for a walk to try and calm down." That much was true at least. "I wasn't really paying attention, and it kinda caught up with me." He shrugged, trying to make his injuries seem limited to a few bumps and bruises.  
  
Chi-Chi pursed her lips and studied him through narrowed eyes, but when he attacked the mountain of food in front of him with his regular appetite, she sighed.  
  
"Just ... be more careful, Gohan. The last thing we need is for you to get injured, especially now." A furtive movement on her peripheral vision distracted her. "Goten! If you want more, sit down and ask!  
  
Gohan breathed out silently. _Sure, but it's alright if I screw myself up any other time, right?_ Instantly, he regretted the thought. It wasn't fair; his mom was under a lot of pressure right now. He sighed and wiped his plate clean.   
  
"I'm gonna go get some quick training in before Videl shows up. Catch up with me when you're done eating, squirt." He ruffled Goten's hair.  
  
'K," his little brother mumbled through a mouthful of eggs. Gohan grinned and escaped as Chi-Chi started to lecture her youngest on the subject of talking while eating. 


	5. Rescue

"Come ta bed, m'laird," Videl purred. She turned down the covers invitingly. Gohan shivered, awareness hitting him with the chill wind that whistled through the shutters.  
  
"I kin warm ye," she continued, one shoulder of her chemise sliding down to reveal a very tempting view. Gohan stared at the stone wall, determined to not let her get to him.   
  
"No." He gritted his teeth against another blast from the wind. He glanced around the room, looking anywhere but at the bed. Stone walls, fireplace, tapestries on the walls, hand carved wooden furniture, furs scattered over the floor. He took it in, conscious for the first time that he was dreaming, that none of it was real.   
  
The vixen in bed blinked. "No? M'laird, 'tis our wedding night. Surely you dinna mean ta deny me this one night before you go off ta war?  
  
"That's exactly what I mean to do." He turned and strode to the door. He felt very edgy in this luxurious room, and the source of that uneasiness was scrambling out of bed in an attempt to stop him.  
  
"Gohan! Please, come back!  
  
He froze half-way out the door. Her piteous words snaked around his heart and dug in, whispering, pleading with him.  
  
_Turn around,_ they cried. _Turn around and look at me. You don't really want to leave me, do you?_ His grip tightened on the door frame. _You want to come back and join me in this bed, and not leave until we're both to exhausted to do anything but cling to each other._   
  
Dream or no dream, Gohan could feel himself responding. He turned around and took one step towards her before he caught himself. Horrified, he bolted out the door, taking the steps four at a time.  
  
He reached the courtyard as she appeared on the balcony. "Stop him!" she shrieked. What had once been a seductive purr was now a furious screech. Involuntarily, Gohan's head snapped around and he stumbled halfway to the gate.   
  
It cost him dearly.  
  
Shadows swarmed up and solidified, clutching at him. He swung and kicked, struggling towards the gate. Somehow, if he could make it to the gate, everything would be alright. _Why can't I fly?_ he thought desperately. He had thirty feet left to go. Twenty-five. Twenty.  
  
He tripped and sprawled headlong into the waiting horde. The gate rose above him, it's metal fittings gleaming at him, mockingly. Less than fifteen feet to freedom, but it might as well have been miles.   
  
He twisted violently as he sank under the seething darkness. It stole over body and mind, until he could barely remember why he was fighting. Videl. He had to get away... or did he have to get to her? Why was he running? _Somebody help me,_ he pleaded.  
  
And Somebody answered.  
  
Light assaulted his eyes, clean, brilliant, sparkling light. The shadows shrank back, a black tide held in check only by the fury of the warrior standing guard. Gohan held one hand against the light, blinking until his vision cleared. The vague silhouette looked familiar, but his brain was too shadow crazed to work properly yet. _Dad?_ he wondered.  
  
He gaped in horror as his rescuer swam into focus. Raditz, his late, unlamented uncle, stood before him, legs braced, snarling and brandishing a flaming broadsword.  
  
The woman on the balcony shrieked insults and epithets at him, promising a thousand different torments for denying her of her prey. Raditz saluted her mockingly and answered in kind. Gohan couldn't understand the language, but, whatever he said, it was loud and he meant it. She started hopping from one foot to the other, screeching and spitting with fury, as if she wanted nothing more right now than to tear the two of them limb from limb.  
  
Raditz made a complicated gesture with one hand and snarled something harsh. She let out one last howl and vanished, the sea of shadows disappearing with her. Raditz's shoulders sagged, the point of his sword dropping to the ground. He turned to look down at his nephew.  
  
Every memory, every nightmare Gohan had about this man came flooding back, shattering his stupor. With a strangled cry, he lunged to the gate, clawing at it desperately. 


	6. Stubborness

Gohan sat bolt upright, his hands tearing the air before him. Automatically, he looked at the bed next to his. His younger brother snored on, tangled in his blanket. Gohan couldn't hide his smile; leaning over, he straightened the sheets and tucked his oblivious sibling back in.  
  
Gohan slipped out of bed and dressed quietly. Automatically, he snatched the pebbles from the night stand and slipped them in his pocket. He flitted from the house and into the trees, silent as a shadow himself.   
  
He climbed uphill for a few minutes before he turned to look back. His house was still partially obscured by the boughs, a single light winking merrily through the leaves. A brisk wind scattered the clouds, bathing the scene in moonlight. Wearily, Gohan raised his eyes skyward, fastening them on the waxing moon above.  
  
_Wait a minute. Isn't the moon supposed to be _full _tonight?_ A rustling in the bushes snapped him from his thoughts. Instinctively, he spun, dropping into a ready stance.  
  
The bushes whipped back and forth for a moment, then stilled. With a muffled curse, a strange old man struggled forward, beating at the branches caught to his clothes. Gohan stared at him, then reached forward.  
  
"Here, let me help," he offered, unhooking a particularly stubborn limb from the man's back. He stepped back so that the stranger would have enough room.  
  
The old man straightened his clothes and brushed himself clean of leaves. "Thank you, Gohan. I was stuck in there so long I was beginning to think I was a tree myself! Darned things sometimes. But your father was always fond of them. Not surprised he'd want to still live out here."   
  
Gohan studied his new companion. There was something very familiar about him. "Do I ... know you?"   
  
The man laughed wheezingly. "You should, young one! You're wearing my name!" He sat down cross-legged, chuckling. Smiling genially, he patted the ground next to him.  
  
Gohan sat as well, stunned. "You're my great-grandfather?  
  
The elder Gohan laughed again. "I'd say you got that pegged pretty well. Especially the 'great' part!" He nudged the boy next to him and winked. "But you can just stick with 'Grandpa.' It's easier.  
  
The younger Gohan looked down, trying to get his thoughts in order. "Am I still ... dreaming?  
  
His grandfather nodded. "Right in one. I was afraid for a moment that you'd wake up before I could get through to of you.  
  
The boy tilted his head, confused. "Why would you want to do that?  
  
"Well, for one thing, to talk to you. I never got to meet you in person. But I've been keeping up on your father, and his family. He got himself a good one, marrying Chi-Chi. Couldn't have set it up better myself.  
  
Gohan relaxed, his grandfather's easy humor calming him better than anything else could have. "Did you? I mean, you have been watching over us, haven't you?  
  
The old man winked. "Maybe a little. But don't tell her that. She thinks it was all her irresistible charm." He laughed again, slapping his knees.  
  
Gohan chuckled as well. "What did you want to talk about?" He was curious to know what his grandfather was thinking. _Maybe this night won't be so bad after all._  
  
His grandfather pinned him with a suddenly serious gaze. "What happened tonight, to start with.  
  
Gohan froze. "Wh-what do you mean?" He blushed, remembering his involuntary reaction to the dream-Videl.  
  
"I mean, why did you run out on your uncle, without even thanking him for saving your ungrateful hide?" The elder Gohan emphasized the last few words with hard pokes to his grandson's shoulder. "I know you were taught better manners than that. He's been tying himself in knots trying to keep that succubus away. Not that you were much help, practically rolling out the mat for her.  
  
"I ... but ... he ... and ... huh?" Gohan replied eloquently. He had _not_ been expecting that question. His grandfather continued.  
  
"I'm not the only one who's been keeping an eye on you, young'un. Your uncle was set to watching you almost from the moment he died. S'posed to be some kind of penance, I guess, but he's grown rather fond of you. He's been running himself ragged, and you bolted like he had the plague or something. I'm disappointed in you, Gohan." He fell silent.  
  
Gohan flushed. "But, ... he killed Dad! And he almost killed me and everyone else! And "   
  
"That's enough!" his grandfather cut in sharply. "He had his reasons for doing what he did. Now you be quiet and listen good. I don't like what he did, and frankly, I wish he'd never done it. But you can't change the past. You should know that by now. We've had some real interesting talks about you and your father. Told him I was proud to be able to call you family, that your parents were raising you right, to use your head and your heart, but I don't know if I can say that anymore."   
  
He sighed heavily. 'Course, I can't blame you too much. That's one mean little lady, that one. She's enough to set anyone on his ear. And he didn't exactly endear himself to anyone when he came here. But like I said, you were raised up real well, and I've been proud of you so far. So the question is, are you going to make me proud now?"   
  
Gohan's color deepened and he stared at the ground, trying to say something that wouldn't sound childish. His grandfather was asking the impossible. How could he just set aside all the terror, all those nights of pain and loneliness? "I can't. I mean ... I want to, ... make you proud, that is ... but I don't know how ..." He looked back up. "What am I supposed to do?  
  
His grandfather laid a warm hand on his shoulder. "Just try to talk to him for a moment. At least thank him. If it wasn't for him, that wench would have her hooks so far into you, you'd never wake up again. She wants you bad. Don't worry, you can kick him out real easy. It's your dream; you can do anything you want to. Including kick me out too. 'Course, I might have something to say about that." He stood and dusted off his clothes. "Besides, what do you think your father would do?  
  
Gohan stood too. "I think ... that he would want to know if Raditz had changed, even a little bit," he answered slowly. "Why are you so determined that I talk to him? You're practically beating me over the head with it.  
  
The old man smiled. "He's got a good heart, that one. Problem is, he listens to his head too much, and his head isn't screwed on all that tight. Don't give up on him yet. He's had a lot of time to think things over since he died." He pointed to the mist that had rolled in. "Your castle's on the other side. He's probably still there, making sure she doesn't come back and bug you tonight.  
  
Gohan looked down at his grandfather and hugged him impulsively. "I promise I'll try," he said. The old man thumped him on the back. "Good boy. Now get going.  
  
Gohan stared at the mist for a long moment, then took one hesitant step forward. His grandfather called out, laughing, "Oh, and it's a good thing you've got the legs for that outfit, boy!" He turned back, but his namesake was already gone.   
  
Gohan looked down, and realized he was wearing a kilt, knee-high suede boots, linen shirt, ... in other words, "A highland lord," he chuckled. "I read too much." He looked at the fog again. "I did promise," he said softly. He took another step forward and the mist enveloped him before he could change his mind. 


	7. Surprises

Gohan stepped out of the fog into the main hall, his boot steps echoing. It was a snug little hall, with well plastered walls and solid beams carved into whimsical shapes. Intricate tapestries decorated the walls between windows protected by shutters painted in cheerful colors. The rushes under his feet emitted pleasant odors as his tread bruised them against the flagstone floor. A fire burned cheerily in the waist high fireplace, its carefree dancing echoed by the torches spaced around the hall.  
  
Gohan halted at the edge of the hearthstone. Conflicting emotions tore at him as he stared at the man seated cross-legged on the broad surface, warmed by the fire burning below the thick stones.   
  
Raditz casually ran a whet stone across his broad sword, now sans flames. His tunic and kilt were a little more worn, a little less fine than Gohan's, but the sword was solid and polished, obviously well cared for.  
  
"Nice place, kid. You have a very keen eye for detail," Raditz remarked, nodding towards the hall beyond them. "I didn't expect to see you back here tonight." He never looked up from the blade in his lap.  
  
Gohan clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, weighing the merits of smashing his uncle's face in right now and being done with the matter. It would mean breaking his word to his grandfather, and Gohan never broke his word. Especially not for something as petty as revenge. Finally, honor and pride won out over blind rage and he forced his hands to open. "I was ... delayed," he replied curtly.  
  
He was unprepared for the effect those words would have on his hated uncle. Raditz's head shot up and he stared at his nephew, studying, weighing, probing. "Are you alright? How did she break through? DId she hurt you?" he demanded.  
  
Gohan took an involuntary step backward. "Wha--? No, it wasn't ... her. It was my grandfather. Well, great-grandfather, actually."  
  
Raditz snorted. "Interfering old man. I told him to leave well enough alone. But he seems to think you should be grateful for all this. Odd lot, humans."  
  
"The same could be said for Saiyans," Gohan replied in careful and measured tones. He breathed slowly, trying to control the rage and fear burning in his blood.  
  
Raditz's answering grin was wry. "And here you are, stuck in the middle. At least your brother won't have to break new ground or go through it alone."  
  
"What the hell do you know?" Gohan snapped, his control wavering.  
  
Raditz threw his head back and laughed. "More than you can realize, but it was too little too late." He dropped his head and sighed. "Do you know the tradition of the hall stove? No? I suppose it's not an important part of history, even though it lets you know more about what life was like than all the accounts of battles ever will."  
  
He swung his legs down and leaned forward, his arms braced on either side of his knees. "In winter, as the light fades, people become short-tempered. Light, especially sunlight, is as important as food and water to your health. Watch people after three or four straight days of rain."  
  
"I don't see --" Gohan began, but Raditz cut him off as if he hadn't even heard his nephew.  
  
"Anyway, in the winter, with so many people crowded together with lit fuses, fights break out real easily. And in such a cold season, up here would quickly become a focal point of most brawls. It's quite comfortable up here. Nice and warm, but the stones are too thick to let it get too hot in any one spot. So tradition dictates that only the completely worthless are allowed up here, the lazy and the fools. No one wanted to take that blow to the ego, so no one ever sat up here."  
  
"And which are you?" Gohan demanded coldly.   
  
"Fool." Raditz whispered. "Most definitely fool." He slid off the stove and Gohan stepped back again. Unconsciously, he slipped into a defensive stance, watching, waiting.   
  
Raditz braced his great sword over one forearm and offered it to his nephew, hilt first. "Go on, take it. Use it. You know you want to. You've wanted to since you set foot in the hall."  
  
Gohan watched, dispassionately, as his hand rose up to grip the hilt. the blade slid over the older man's sleeve with a soft hiss. Gohan could hear, could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He was aware of his pulse as he never had been before.   
  
Existence itself seemed to hold its breath as he reversed his grip, raising the blade, palm down, to rest the point over Raditz's heart. His uncle raised haunted eyes to his own confused ones.  
  
The depth of the loneliness, the emptiness staggered Gohan. A red film dropped in front of his eyes as his control on his bloodlust slipped, staining everything with its sanguine touch. _It's just a trick. Like when he promised he'd leave us alone. _ He brought his free hand up and braced it against the pommel of the sword. A crimson flower blossomed under the sword's tip, staining the unbleached linen.  
  
Just as Gohan prepared to run his uncle through - _It's no more than he deserves_ - his conversation with his grandfather whispered mockingly in his ear.  
  
_"Just try to talk to him for a moment. At least thank him. If it wasn't for him, that wench would have her hooks so far into you, you'd never wake up again. She wants you bad."  
  
"Besides, what do you think your father would do?_  
  
Gohan's own voice taunted him. _"I think ... that he would want to know if Raditz had changed, even a little bit."  
  
"He's got a good heart, that one."  
  
"Don't give up on him yet._  
  
Slowly, Gohan withdrew the sword and reversed it, presenting it to the startled Saiyan warrior. As Raditz reclaimed his blade, Gohan had the disturbing, irrational sensation that the universe had started breathing again.  
  
"It wouldn't have mattered anyway," he said, trying to cover his sudden embarrassment with a diffident shrug. "It's not like I can kill you. You're already dead."  
  
Raditz chuckled. "True, but I would hurt like it all over again, until I healed. And the dead heal very slowly, under normal circumstances."  
  
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Gohan snarled. He was beginning to get irritated by the older man's laughter.  
  
Raditz shook his head. "Huh-uh. Not tonight, Kid. You need some honest sleep." He reached forward before Gohan could stop him. The young Saiyan was barely aware of the oddly gentle, feather light touch before he slipped off into comforting darkness. 


	8. Possibilities

AN: I want to thank the wonderful reviews. I honestly don't remember where this story came from. It's one of those ones that smacks you upside the head and demands to be written.  
  
Sorry for taking so long. I've been having a rough time, and bouncing from depression, normalcy, and mania. If you really want to know why go here: I know it all happened before I posted the story, but I also had it all written before everything happened. (Oh, and if the link doesn't get posted, it's also the new homepage in my profile.)  
  
Hopefully, things will start resembling normal now. :-)  
  
hr  
  
Gohan stared at the ceiling, fingers laced behind his head, trying to make sense of everything. Outside, birds called to each other, bidding each other goodnight as they sang down the sun.  
  
_Okay,_ he mused, _there are several possibilities. First, I'm going nuts._ He rolled that idea around, and then discarded it. _Doubt it. Bulma always said that if you can ask the question, and if the world still seems normal, then you're probably not crazy. Too bad. It would have made things easier._ Gohan grinned a little.  
  
_Second, I'm cracking under stress and it's giving me nightmares. No, that doesn't make much sense either. These don't feel like nightmares. _ He sighed heavily.  
  
Option Three seemed the most likely, and the most unpleasant. _Ok, if everything I've heard so far is true, I'm being drained by a succubus, and protected from her by the man who killed my father. I'm not sure which is worse, Raditz or the succubus.  
_  
The light faded, and slowly Gohan's eyes adjusted to the cool light filtering in through his windows. Goten mumbled something about pancakes and flopped onto his belly.  
  
Gohan smiled as he straightened out his brother's blankets. He knew he could have his own room, but it was fun to share. It was fun to pretend they were asleep and then spend half the night hidden under a tent of blankets with flashlights, telling stories and acting silly. Even if his brother was so innocent at times it was disturbing ...  
  
The smile lasted as he slipped out of the house and through the trees. Despite the problems with the succubus and his uncle, he felt lighter, somehow. Maybe it was because he was going to see his father soon. Maybe it was just because his life was finally on a somewhat normal track.  
  
As he passed the tree line and got a clear view of the lake, the track took a sharp left turn into the twilight zone.  
  
Raditz didn't even look back. "I was wondering when you would show up. You fell asleep an hour ago." He scooped up a handful of pebbles and tossed them lightly in his hand.  
  
Gohan approached warily. "What do you mean?"  
  
Raditz fished through the stones in his hand, selecting a small flat one and weighing it experimentally. "I mean, you fell asleep an hour ago. I expected you to come charging out here and demand an explanation or beat me into a bloody pulp." He brought his arm back and, with casual ease, sent the stone skimming over the water, until it sank half way across. "Or both."  
  
Gohan stopped a few feet from the older man. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
  
Raditz shrugged and selected another pebble. "Skipping stones."  
  
He laughed at the growl of frustration behind him, and finally turned to look at his nephew. "I'll make you a deal, kid. Any question you ask, I'll answer. You have my word. You may not like the answer; it might even be 'No,' but it will be an answer. But you're not going to find out what you want to know if you don't choose your words carefully."  
  
"How can I trust you?" Gohan asked suspiciously.  
  
Regret — or something much heavier — shadowed the older man's face. "I don't expect you to. I have no right to ask that. But I will tell you this: the one time I broke my word, it cost me more than my life and the enmity of you and your father. It cost me every shred of my honor that I clung to. I don't expect you to understand, or even accept. And I know 'I'm sorry' will never come close, even if you did believe it. But ..."  
  
Raditz turned to look over the lake, working one of the stones between his fingers. "But I'm here, and so are you and the past can't be changed."  
  
Gohan stepped forward a little more. "How do I know I'm dreaming this time? That you're not really haunting me when I'm awake?"  
  
Raditz sat and leaned back on his elbows. "Lady's still young," he replied, nodding at the crescent moon. "You seem to have a problem with Her."  
  
"Lady?"  
  
Raditz nodded. "Yep."  
  
Gohan sat down as well. "Are you going to explain?"  
  
Raditz grinned. "Nope. You're not here for cultural anthropology lessons."  
  
Gohan hissed softly. "Then why am I here?"  
  
"Well," Raditz began, "when a man and a woman are really fond of each other ..." He broke off, laughing at the stunned look on the boy's face. "All right, all right. I'll behave. What you meant was why is the succubus after you, and why am I the one guarding you?"  
  
Gohan nodded, still a little surprised at the easy manner with which Raditz was treating him. The older warrior sat up and shook his hair out. "They're a kind of energy vampire. You are ... coming of age. The succubi are attracted to the awakening sexual energy. They feed off it, and the more they can draw out, the stronger they get. It's always been that way. You however, are of mixed descent, and it has created a ... stronger blend of energies. And now that you have a focus for those energies, it's very easy for her to slip in and drain you."  
  
He paused, staring out over the water. Gohan was very glad for that, since he couldn't hide the fiery blush staining his cheeks. He kept his mouth shut and hoped that Raditz wouldn't look over and notice.  
  
"If she had just stayed with the usual pattern of a night here and there, it might have been overlooked. But she got greedy, and she's been after you every night. And we just can't have that."  
  
He paused again, and Gohan struggled to find his voice. "We? We, who?"  
  
Raditz flashed a grin at him. "Kid, have you ever seen a succubus hopped up on too much energy?" At Gohan's negative response, he continued, "It's not fun. Most of 'em are pretty snotty bitches when they're buzzing. And you've landed the meanest bitch in the pack. She's been insufferable."  
  
He tilted his head, and snickered. "Kind of like Vegeta on a good day."  
  
Gohan laughed out loud, mostly due to surprise. "So, what do I do?"  
  
Raditz shrugged. "Nothing."  
  
"Nothing?" Gohan couldn't believe his ears. _"Nothing?_ Let me get this straight: Some succubus is draining my energy and I'm supposed to sit back and let it _happen_? Are you nuts?" he shouted.  
  
Raditz rolled his head, the bones in his neck cracking slightly. "Yes, yes, no, and yes." He laughed at Gohan's excellent impression of a fish. "You're going to sit back and let me handle her, and if I'm not around there will be someone else who will. It's a lot more serious than her getting too big for her britches. You can only hold out against her for so long. If we don't "convince" her to stop, eventually you'll start getting sick: headaches, bloody noses, colds, and so on. If it keeps up ..." He trailed off and stared ot the moon again.  
  
"She could kill me, couldn't she?" Gohan whispered. His anger faded in light of the enormity of the situation. Raditz just nodded miserably.  
  
"Isn't there _anything_ I can do to protect myself?" he asked. Well, pleaded was more like it. His head was starting to spin. He couldn't shake the idea that this was all a trick, but it resonated on some level, and he couldn't ignore it.  
  
Raditz shook his head. "Not right now." He smiled, softly, at Gohan's stricken look. "Don't worry, kid. We need you alive and kicking."


	9. Damnation

Something snapped inside Gohan and he surged to his feet. "This is _bullshit_," he spat. His chest heaved as he fought to contain his fury. How _dare_ Raditz claim to be _protecting_ him, after everything he'd done.

Raditz stared up at him, surprised as much by the curse as the suddenness of it. He sighed, apparently expecting this. "I should have known my luck wouldn't hold," he murmured.

"How dare you?" Gohan hollered. "It's all your fault! All of it! If you hadn't come to Earth, my Dad wouldn't have died, and he would have been home when I was growing up. I wouldn't have been dragged halfway across the galaxy to try to bring back our friends. _I could have had a normal life!"_

Raditz gazed at Gohan, unblinking. "So it's all my fault that your life turned out this way, hm? All my fault that you've been pushed far enough to start realizing your potential?" Slowly, deliberately, he rose until he was face to face with his nephew. "Well," Raditz continued, "I guess there's only one response for that." He looked to the side for a moment.

Gohan automatically glanced away to see what caught Raditz's interest. He never saw the backhand coming. As he pulled himself out of the new trench he just dug, Gohan sneered at his uncle, "I knew it was all just an act."

Raditz spat to one side. "You need to get your head out of your ass, kid. This is bigger than your petty revenge. You've got a destiny waiting for you whether you like it or not."

"Damn you!" Gohan cried, leaping at his uncle. Raditz vanished and Gohan spun, trying to locate his opponent.

"Up here," came a mocking voice. Gohan scanned the trees and spotted Raditz hanging upside down from a branch of a massive oak tree. Gohan summoned power and sent it hurtling towards his nemesis. Raditz vanished, laughing, leaving the tree to meet it's fiery end. Gohan shrieked incoherently and gave chase.

There was no training, no finesse in this battle. Everything Gohan had ever learned was upended as he gave free rein to his rage. Gohan threw everything he had into an all out assault.

Raditz, for his part, blocked or dodged each attack, laughing, daring Gohan to catch him.

Raditz led him a merry chase. "Come on, Gohan. I'm everything you've ever hated, ever feared. I'm right here. All you have to do is come and get me." His taunts served only to fuel Gohan's fury, and the lake roiled under the forces unleashed by the young warrior's attacks.

For every action, there is a reaction. In the physical world, the indiscriminate way Gohan was fighting would have wreaked havoc on the planet's structure. Here, in a world built by energy and influenced by thought, the structure survived, but it's form was drastically altered. Charred stumps replaced a once proud and ancient forest. The sky was soon obscured by endless black thunderheads, the pale moonlight replaced by harsh flashes of lightening.

There was no warning before the heavens opened up. One moment Gohan was in the air, searching for Raditz, the next, he was blinded by driving rain. Howling with fury, he summoned his power, forcing the rain away.

"Behind you."

Gohan spun at the soft whisper, swinging wildly and connecting with only air. Raditz slipped under his arm and uppercut the boy viciously. He blinked out again as Gohan tried to recover, only to reappear long enough to deliver a swift punch to the kidneys.

Once again, Gohan was unable to block or dodge. The small part of his mind that wasn't seething with bloodlust was gibbering that this shouldn't be possible. He was much stronger and faster; he was a _Super Saiyan!_ Raditz should be nothing but an insect to him!

"DAMN YOU!!!!" Gohan screamed into the thundering blackness. He landed, slipped in the mud, and fell to all fours. "Damn you," he choked, sitting back on his heels and letting his arms fall heavily on his thighs. "Damn you." The rain continued to pour down, soaking him to the bone and mingling with his tears.

Footsteps splashed in the mud beside him. Raditz. He didn't care anymore. Let the man do what he would. Gohan was tired of fighting what he couldn't defeat. He stared at the puddle in front of him, his eyes the ripples of the heavy drops, his ears focused on the savage warrior beside him.

Raditz dropped to his knees, facing his nephew. "I already am, kid. I already am." He reached for Gohan's shoulder; the boy flinched, but otherwise didn't move. Raditz pulled him close. Gohan resisted for a moment, then gave up and rested against his uncle's chest, sobbing harshly. His uncle held him until his tears ran dry, and then blackness claimed him.


	10. Counsel

AN: Those who read this when it was first posted will remember Chapter 10 as being Illumination. Unfortunately, this is what I get for not outlining. I had always hated it in school, and thought it wasn't necessary. Lesson learned! I honestly could not link things together well and keep the chapters at a reasonable length. I had uploaded as I did for feedback. It seems it's worth continuing! Oh, ignore the dashes. FFNet doesn't seem to like separated paragraphs or blank lines, and I refuse to use line breaks for such minor changes in scene or VP.

And this was supossed to be a one shot!

* * *

Gohan woke slowly. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out why his face felt so tight and sticky. He touched one cheek and realized that his face was covered in tears. Bolting upright, he scrubbed at his face, wiping away the evidence of ... what? Grief? Despair? Once again, his life was spiraling out of control, and he didn't even know how to slow if down, let alone stop it. 

The rational, logical part of his mind, the one that thrived on figures and facts and books, was insisting that it was simply impossible for his dream tormentors to be who and what they appeared. But another part simply pointed out that he had seen many things that were "impossible" already; what was one more?

He hugged his knees to his chest. This was all too much. _I'm going mad. I have to be. And I can't ask anyo—!_ His breath stopped as he thought of the one person he _could_ ask. He scrawled a quick note for his mother and crept out of the house before he lost his nerve.

-

He liked this time, early morning, when the night was spent but day had not yet begun. It was quiet, peaceful. His preferred time to meditate.

Thus Gohan knew exactly where to find him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Piccolo, but I need to talk to you."

The Namekian warrior didn't even open his eyes. "Sit down."

Gohan sat cross-legged and tried to get his thoughts in order. Piccolo waited patiently.

Finally, the young Saiyan decided to just get it over with. "I think I'm being tormented by demons."

Anyone else, even his friends and family, would have greeted this statement with anything from laughter to (in his mother's case) alarm. Piccolo, however, merely inclined his head forward a little.

"I know something of demons, both from my own past, and from my fusion with Kami. I will try to answer your questions."

Gohan stared straight forward and tried to will down the blush he could feel creeping up his cheeks. "I think ... that it's a succubus. She's been coming after me every night. And it's driving me crazy. I can barely sleep anymore. It's starting to affect my training, and it's definitey affecting my life."

"Hmmm." Piccolo thought for a moment. "I must admit that I do not know much about them, other than the basics. For now, I can only advise that you meditate and work on your mental discipline. Some research may offer other ideas. Now, what of the others?"

Gohan swallowed hard. "What others?" he stammered.

A slight smile curved his mentor's lips. "You said 'demons'. Meaning more than one."

Gohan started to reply, and stopped, letting out the breath in a long hiss. "The other one is my ..." he trailed off, still unable to assign the man that title. "... is Raditz," he finished.

Piccolo opened his eyes for the first time and looked over at Gohan. "Raditz? Interesting."

Gohan nodded. "I think I also talked to my great-grandfather, Gohan. He said that Raditz is supposed to be some kind of guardian for me, as part of his penance. That's why I came here."

"And what do you wish me to do?"

Gohan shrugged. " I don't know," he admitted lamely. "Tell me if it's really happening or if I'm just going nuts."

The Namekian chuckled. "Which answer would you prefer?"

"Well, if I was going nuts, then I could just take some big white pills to make everything happy and it wouldn't matter." Gohan sighed. "But I'd rather hear the truth. Even if it's going to drive me crazy."

Piccolo laughed again. "What do your instincts tell you?"

A sigh. "That it's all just as I told you. I'm being attacked by a succubus and defended by a man who kidnapped and threatened to kill me." Gohan rested his chin in one hand and stared gloomily off into space. "And I have no clue what to do. He claims it's for my own good, and I can't figure anything out because I'm asleep and he keeps sending me deeper every time."

"So confront him." At Gohan's startled glance, Piccolo continued. "You know how to step outside your body to train with your mind. It is easier to see spirits then. Call him out while you are still awake."

Gohan mulled the idea over. "Yeah, I guess. It's just ... whenever I think of him, I freeze up inside. Something just snaps in me. I can kind of control it. What am I supposed to do if he does show up?

Piccolo tilted his head to one side in acknowledgement of his young friend's confusion. "Trust your instincts."

"Thanks a lot, Piccolo," Gohan said cynically. Then, "Actually, thanks. I think that might actually help. I'll try it tonight."

-

As Gohan sped back towards his home, trying to get back before his mother woke, Piccolo turned his attention inward, and then beyond. _I know you're here._

A silent chuckle; Piccolo remembered that laugh all to well. _Yes._

_Why?_

There was a long silence. Finally...

_I like him. _

The living warrior considered the words of the dead one carefully. _ Very well._


	11. TEASER

Gohan paused just inside the doorway, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light. The low roar of a busy tavern faded a few notches, then picked back up as he was dismissed as Not a Threat or Not Interesting. He wasn't sure whether to be offended or amused.

This was turning out to be much more trouble than it seemed worth. He wanted a few answers from Raditz, on _his_ terms. No fending off demon-Videls. No getting put deeper into sleep.

Somehow, that turned into trying to find him in a football stadium sized bar where everyone with a day pass to Earth stopped by. The woman who claimed to have forced his uncle into a day off (just his luck it would be this day) said "the furrball" could be found here. She wouldn't give any more information than that, other than to see him safely here and return to stand guard over his body.

_Why is it that my guardian angels are damned souls from Hell?_ Gohan mused, as he edged his way around the room, scanning for a person-sized mass of saiyan hair.

Unfortunately, Saiyans apparently got day passes fairly frequently. After the third false start, he was about to give up and go home when someone tapped his elbow.

_"Baba?"_ he asked, sure his eyes were playing tricks. Why would the old fortune teller be riding around on her crystal ball _here_, carrying a tray of drinks?

* * *

This is a teaser snip, mostly to remind myself to write, but also to show that I really have not dropped this. :sweatdrop: 


End file.
